Survey: Should Brooklyn Heights Be a “Slow Zone” For Traffic?

The Brooklyn Heights Association is taking a survey to determine if there is support for making Brooklyn Heights a traffic “Slow Zone.” According to the BHA:

Slow Zones improve pedestrian safety and reduce traffic cutting through neighborhoods. If Brooklyn Heights becomes a Slow Zone it will mean: – Speed limits of 20mph (as opposed to 30mph now standard throughout New York City); – Signs at neighborhood entries indicating slower speed limit and Slow Zone status (taking one or two parking spaces at each entry point); and – Speeds humps and 20mph pavement markings installed throughout the neighborhood.

There’s more on Slow Zones, from the NYC Department of Transportation here.

Brooklyn Heights should be a slow zone for tearing down libraries. This article seems like it is trying to change the subject about the most important thing that the BHA is NOT doing at the moment. Latest article on that subject can be found here:

I often see cars with T&LC plates tearing down Hicks, going much faster than the speed limit. One was so impatient they tried to pass another car, with their wheels coming onto the sidewalk. Years ago, we finally got a stop light on Hicks at Pierrepont. Perhaps it’s time to try speed bumps and other deterrents to speeders.

David on Middagh

A propos the topic, why will a car accelerate southward on Henry St., only to brake hard behind a line of cars at a red Clark St. traffic light? Does the driver not see the red light? Or the line? Does he hope the light will turn green as he zooms past the fruit streets? Is it just fun to accelerate?

Stanislav

Why reduce speed limits and add signs? Traffic laws are not enforced in the area.

http://twitter.com/rimler marshasrimler

Why doesn’t the BHA take a survey about the library issue.. How about a community vote? Who exactly do they represent?

Giber

Yes. It should be a speed zone. The signage will be useless but the speed bumps might help. In general, traffic enforcement is nonexistent in the area. Maybe a Trader Joe’s at every corner would stack up enough double parking to slow people down.

Wiley E.

Put and leave double-wide strollers in the middle of all the streets. Then, save the Libraries.

Wiley E.

The answer is – $$$$.

km

Definitely.

HenryLoL

YES! Hicks and Henry are the worst and it is very dangerous. I wish we could do the same with Cadman Plaza West too. The taxis there have many near misses with kids running across the lanes.

Cranberry Beret

“This article seems like it is trying to change the subject about the most important thing that the BHA is NOT doing at the moment.”

Are you joking?? Posting stuff like this makes you look like you lack any credibility. The library issue is very important but so is road safety. Are you aware that a pedestrian was killed by a car here just about a month ago?

HenryLoL

Please give this up. The new library is going to be so much better for The Heights.

travy

in 15 years i’ve never seen a ticket given for a moving violation. i’ve also never seen a vehicle make a full stop at the end of montague

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=631255472 Quinn Raymond

As a resident, I think this is an excellent idea. A pedestrian has a 55% of survival when hit at 30 MPH and a 95% chance of survival when hit at 20 MPH. Some of us are drivers, some of us are bikers, but at the end of the day we’re all pedestrians at one point or another.

Reggie

Always. Stay. On. Message.

ltap917

I almost got hit by a car on Montague at the corner of Hicks. The car was stopped at a red light and the idiot never hit the brake and thought he was going to make a right on red. This is not the first time I have had to jump out of the way of a moving vehicle when I most definitely had the right of way.

Marathoner

Great comments!! A ridiculous thread to be sure – would anyone suggest that we really need cars driving faster through the nabe??

Let’s include some sidewalk rails too to keep cars off the blue stone – has anyone else noticed how badly damaged the sidewalks are?

Boerum Bill

Yes! But taxis and livery cabs should be exempt, of course.

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